Jackson Reid
ESPN has a rich history with golf, having aired golf tournaments since 1991. They have aired the PGA Tour Championship, the World Golf Championships, and The Players Championship, among others. ESPN also provides extensive coverage of the PGA Championship, including live play and exclusive presentations. In addition, ESPN offers fantasy sports games for various sports, including golf. The ESPN Fantasy Golf game allows users to create their own teams and compete against others. It offers a variety of features, such as live scoring, player news, and expert analysis, enhancing the experience for golf enthusiasts.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| PGA Tour Championship | Aired on ESPN from 1991 to 2006 |
| World Golf Championships | Aired on ESPN starting 1999 |
| The Players Championship | Aired on ESPN from 1996 to 2006 |
| Presidents Cup | ESPN broadcast the 1994, 1996, and 1998 editions |
| PGA Tour on ABC | ESPN carried early-round coverage of the Masters Tournament since 2008 |
| Ryder Cup | ESPN last aired the Ryder Cup in 2012 |
| Open Championship | ESPN lost rights to the Open Championship after 2016 |
| LPGA's CME Group Tour Championship | Aired on ABC with ESPN announcers from 2015 to 2018 |
| PGA Championship | ESPN and ESPN+ provided extensive coverage of the 2025 PGA Championship |
| Fantasy Golf | ESPN BET provided an alternate betting telecast for the 2025 PGA Championship |
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What You'll Learn
ESPN's coverage of the PGA Championship
ESPN has covered the PGA Championship extensively over the years. From 1991 to 2006, ESPN aired the PGA Tour Championship in conjunction with ABC. During this period, ESPN also aired the World Golf Championships and The Players Championship, a flagship event of the PGA Tour. After losing the PGA Tour rights to the Golf Channel following the 2006 season, ESPN continued to air golf content, including the Presidents Cup in 1994, 1996, and 1998.
In 2008, ESPN started carrying early-round coverage of the Masters Tournament, co-produced by CBS Sports. This marked a shift in ESPN's golf coverage, as they now showcased regular men's golf events such as The Masters, the U.S. Open, the Open Championship, and the Ryder Cup. ESPN's coverage team during this period included well-known announcers like Mike Tirico and Paul Azinger.
ESPN's involvement in covering the PGA Championship continued to evolve. In 2015, ESPN/ABC covered the Open Championship for the last time before losing the rights to the Golf Channel and NBC. However, in 2018, it was announced that early-round and weekend morning coverage of the PGA Championship would move to ESPN beginning in 2020. This included streaming rights for ESPN+ to provide supplemental coverage before and during CBS weekend windows.
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ESPN's history of broadcasting golf tournaments
ESPN has a long history of broadcasting golf tournaments, dating back to the early days of the network in 1979. Just one day after its launch, ESPN aired its first golf event, the LPGA Sahara Open, on September 8, 1979. This was the beginning of a regular feature of golf coverage on the sports channel. Over the next few years, ESPN continued to increase its golf coverage, building a relationship with all four of golf's major championships.
In the early 1980s, ESPN began televising the early rounds of major tournaments, providing viewers with the opportunity to watch all four rounds of a major for the first time. By 1985, ESPN was covering 30 golf events per year, a number that continued to grow over the next decade. During this time, ESPN aired the first and second rounds of the Masters Tournament and the PGA Championship, as well as regular LPGA and Senior PGA Tour events.
In the 1990s, ESPN further expanded its golf coverage by airing the PGA Tour Championship, the World Golf Championships, and The Players Championship. The network also broadcast several Presidents Cup tournaments during this decade. After losing the rights to the PGA Tour in 2006, ESPN continued to air golf coverage in conjunction with ABC, including the Open Championship and the Ryder Cup.
More recently, in 2018, ESPN+ began offering streaming coverage of PGA Tour events, and in 2020, ESPN regained the rights to the PGA Championship. ESPN continues to be the cable rightsholder for the Masters Tournament and the PGA Championship, with telecasts produced in association with CBS Sports. In addition, ESPN provides extensive coverage of golf news, scores, and player updates, as well as access to replays and original content.
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ESPN's partnership with CBS Sports
ESPN has an extensive history of broadcasting golf tournaments, including the PGA Tour Championship, the World Golf Championships, and the Players Championship. Since 2008, ESPN has also carried early-round coverage of the Masters Tournament, co-produced by CBS Sports. This partnership with CBS Sports continued in 2010 when ESPN began broadcasting regular men's golf tournaments such as The Masters, the U.S. Open, the Open Championship, and the Ryder Cup.
In 2015, ESPN and ABC lost the rights to the Open Championship, marking the end of their long-standing announcer team. However, ESPN continued to play a significant role in golf broadcasting. In 2018, it was announced that early-round and weekend morning coverage of the PGA Championship would move to ESPN, with ESPN+ holding streaming rights. Similar to the Masters coverage, this was co-produced by CBS Sports, showcasing the continued collaboration between the two networks.
The partnership between ESPN and CBS Sports has enhanced the viewing experience for golf enthusiasts. For the 2025 PGA Championship, ESPN and CBS Sports, along with their respective digital platforms, provided comprehensive coverage. This included traditional broadcasts, exclusive featured groups, and immersive technologies. Fans could also participate in the PGA Championship Fantasy, with daily prizes awarded for each round and an overall week-long competition.
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ESPN's golf announcers and reporters
ESPN has aired golf programming since 1962, with the U.S. Open, the Open Championship, the U.S. Women's Open, the Women's British Open, the U.S. Senior Open, and the Senior Open Championship all featured on its schedules over the years.
From 1991 to 2006, ESPN aired the PGA Tour Championship in conjunction with ABC, and in 1999, it began airing the World Golf Championships. ESPN has also aired The Players Championship, a flagship event of the PGA Tour, from 1996 to 2006.
ESPN's golf coverage has featured a variety of announcers and reporters over the years. In 2010, Mike Tirico and Paul Azinger were the lead booth announcers, with Curtis Strange joining as a hole announcer. Scott Van Pelt moved from the studio host position to become a hole announcer as well. In 2011, Olin Browne joined as an additional on-course reporter, and Alliss began to appear as a guest at the Open Championship. In 2012, ESPN's coverage team changed, with Dottie Pepper replacing Browne as an on-course reporter, and Weiskopf appearing once during the telecast to discuss the architecture of the course and how it would affect play.
Other ESPN golf announcers and reporters include Andy North, who has been with ESPN since 1992 as an on-course reporter, analyst, and reporter. Laura Rutledge joined ESPN in 2014 as part of the college sports team and has since covered the NFL as an anchor and sideline reporter. Michael Collins joined ESPN in 2011 and works in a variety of roles, including as an on-course reporter for ESPN+ and a writer for ESPN.com. Jeff Darlington began covering golf for ESPN in 2024 and received praise for his reporting on Scottie Scheffler's arrest during the PGA Championship.
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ESPN's digital coverage of golf
ESPN has an extensive digital coverage of golf. It offers more than 4,300 hours of live coverage from 35 PGA Tour tournaments each year, including four days of coverage at 28 events with four feeds per day. ESPN's digital platforms also provide access to replays, original shows, and more.
ESPN's digital golf coverage has a long history, dating back to the 1990s. From 1991 to 2006, ESPN aired the PGA Tour Championship in conjunction with ABC. During this time, they also broadcast the World Golf Championships and The Players Championship, a flagship event of the PGA Tour. After losing the PGA Tour rights following the 2006 season, ESPN continued to air golf events, including the LPGA's CME Group Tour Championship from 2015 to 2018.
In 2008, ESPN started carrying early-round coverage of the Masters Tournament, co-produced by CBS Sports. This marked a significant expansion of their golf coverage, as they showcased regular men's golf events such as The Masters, the U.S. Open, the Open Championship, and the Ryder Cup. ESPN's coverage team included notable announcers like Mike Tirico, Paul Azinger, and Curtis Strange.
ESPN's digital golf coverage continues to evolve, with enhanced digital products and platforms. For the 2025 PGA Championship, ESPN and ESPN+ offered over 225 hours of live play during the four days of the event. This included traditional coverage, exclusive Featured Groups, and Featured Holes presentations. ESPN's SportsCenter provided additional reports and analysis, while ESPN.com delivered extensive digital coverage to golf fans worldwide.
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Frequently asked questions
ESPN has a fantasy golf game for the PGA Championship.
Fans have the opportunity to participate in PGA Championship Fantasy, with daily prizes awarded each round of the Championship, in addition to the prizes awarded for the overall, week-long competition.
ESPN platforms will present more than 225 combined hours of live play during all four days of the Championship, including traditional coverage as well as exclusive Featured Groups and Featured Holes presentations.
ESPN has covered several golf events in the past, including the PGA Tour Championship, the World Golf Championships, The Players Championship, and the Presidents Cup.
